Princess Haya of Jordan’s RED SPIDER (Red Ransom) has been supplemented to
the Racing Post Trophy (Eng-G1) at Doncaster on Saturday. An impressive 3
1/4-length debut winner over Kempton’s Polytrack September 22, the John Gosden-trained
colt will face a maximum of 22 rivals for the £200,000
one-mile contest.
“Hopefully he has improved since his first run and while it probably wasn’t
the greatest maiden in the world, he won it like a nice horse,” Gosden’s racing
secretary Peter Shoemark told PA Sport. “He is a horse who has always shown us a
good deal of ability and we were very pleased with that first run. Obviously
this is a massive jump up in class, but we just felt there was nothing else for
him this year and thought it was worth having a look.”
Ballydoyle still have seven entries engaged and, while last Saturday’s
Dewhurst S. (Eng-G1) seventh Rip van Winkle (Galileo [Ire]) was a notable
scratching at the five-day stage, Aidan O’Brien can still call upon
MASTEROFTHEHORSE (Sadler’s Wells), who was third in the Beresford S. (Ire-G2) at
The Curragh on September 28, and MALIBU BAY (El Prado [Ire]), successful in his
debut at Navan October 8.
John Oxx is set to run His Highness the Aga Khan’s Beresford runner-up
MOURAYAN (Alhaarth), while Mark Johnston may let JUKEBOX JURY (Montjeu [Ire])
attempt to supplement his win in the September 27 Royal Lodge S. (Eng-G2) at
Ascot.
Officials at Doncaster are expecting good ground for Saturday’s race.
“Any more significant rain at the moment is looking like being on Thursday,
but it doesn’t look as though we’re in for a lot of rain otherwise,” Clerk of
the Course David Williams said. “The track is in good order, it’s come back well
from the (St) Leger (Eng-G1) and we’ve got a good covering of grass.”